Modes of Emergence Failure and Seedling Damage From Abiotic Stress.

Due to unexpected weather, particularly as production systems advance into new environments, newly sown seeds and young seedlings are subject to mortality and damage from abiotic stress.  Further, such physiological damage predisposes the seedling to destruction from biotic factors.  Considerable effort is expended in the breeding of new cultivars capable of resisting abiotic stress.  A variety of traditional genetic and molecular genetic approaches are being brought to bear on this problem.  In addition, new physical and chemical seed enhancement strategies are being developed to improve tolerance to abiotic stress during germination and establishment.  The purpose of this symposium is to present a unified perspective from which to view and evaluate emerging technologies for the mitigation of abiotic stress during establishment and early growth.